A NEW twist capable of marring Senator Godswill Akpabio’s chances of becoming president of the 10th Senate of Nigeria has been reported…..CONTINUE READING
Ahead of National Assembly election scheduled to hold on Tuesday, cracks have been spotted in the former Akwa Ibom State governor’s camp.
Apart from Senator Sule Yari’s emergence as a dark horse, Akpabio’s calculations are no longer adding up after massive defection of senators-elect from his camp in an unanticipated gale that is also throwing more spanners in the works for his candidacy.
A Senator-elect from South East Zone, who craves anonymity, said“unless a new deal is struck in the next 24 hours, Akpabio’s bid for the topmost legislative seat may come crashing down like a pack of cards.”
The Senator-elect also said Akpabio may have himself to blame for the sudden turn of events.
Listing Akpabio’s failure to broker deals with many political blocs immediately after his endorsement by All Progressives Congress (APC)’s National Working Committee (NWC) among Akpabio’s ‘sins,’ the source also blamed him for not wooing front-row candidates who lost out in the party’s zoning formula.
Yet, the last straw that may break Akpabio’s back, the source cautioned, is Yari’s emergence that has ’emptied’ Akpabio of nearly every northern senator-elect who until now was backing him.
This, the source said, quickly dried Akpabio of his core supporters. But he warned that Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi’s endorsement of Akpabio yesterday was ruffling feathers in high places in a way that may deal a fatal blow on Akpabio’s last-minute calculations.
In another development, a senator-elect from Kano State, Sumaila Kawu, warned President Bola Ahmed Tinubu not to interfere in the election of principal officers of the two chambers of National Assembly.
Addressing newsmen shortly after a meeting of a group working for Yari’s candidacy in Abuja, yesterday, the senator-elect, who pleaded anonymity, confirmed withdrawal of many northern senators from Akpabio’s candidacy.
Kawu urged Tinubu to provide a level playing field for all the candidates in the election of principal officers of the National Assembly or risk angering North.
“The constitution is explicit about how the president and deputy president of the Senate should be elected. For instance, Chapter 2 of the 9th Standing Orders of the Senate 2022 (as amended) stipulates the procedures for selection of presiding officers of the Senate. President Tinubu should ensure that every candidate is given level playing field. The converse is that Tinubu may support anyone but if that person is not the northern candidate, he may be risk losing us subsequently,” he said.
Meanwhile, Senator Akpabio has firmly stated that reports claiming his colleagues have withdrawn their support for him are false and misleading.
Describing his race as full of steam and well on course, Chief Press Secretary to the senator, Jackson Udom, denounced the allegations as unfounded propaganda aimed at tarnishing the strong relationship between the former Minority Leader and his esteemed colleagues.
The statement reiterated that no senator has withdrawn their support for Senator Akpabio’s bid for the Senate Presidency…..CONTINUE READING